What are some treats to give baby chicks? And should you?

[Bureshchickenmama]

I have seen people post they give their baby chicks anything from tuna, to eggs, and other things.
These are our first eggs we have hatched. We have 12, can you give them treats and what can you give them?
We have raised chicks from tractor supply before, but hatching our own was so much more rewarding!

 

[ashlierami]

I have seen people post they give their baby chicks anything from tuna, to eggs, and other things.
These are our first eggs we have hatched. We have 12, can you give them treats and what can you give them?
We have raised chicks from tractor supply before, but hatching our own was so much more rewarding!

How old are they? Alot of people shy away from giving treats until they are 4 to 6 weeks. However I've never had a problem giving treats much sooner. Mine like dried mealworms, boiled eggs, semi frozen blueberries on a hot day, I've also boiled an ear of corn and put that in the pen for them to play with and peck at. Mine enjoy oatmeal as well both cooked and raw and they have never had a problem. I usually give it cooked and warm when it's cold out.It's up to you if you choose to give them treats or not they are yours so there is no right or wrong. I find that giving them treats makes them more friendly early on and they learn who I am and what I have.

 

[Bureshchickenmama]

How old are they? Alot of people shy away from giving treats until they are 4 to 6 weeks. However I've never had a problem giving treats much sooner. Mine like dried mealworms, boiled eggs, semi frozen blueberries on a hot day, I've also boiled an ear of corn and put that in the pen for them to play with and peck at. It's up to you if you choose to give them treats or not they are yours so there is no right or wrong. I find that giving them treats makes them more friendly early on and they learn who I am and what I have.

Theyre only 4 days old! Thank you for mentioning age, i should probably wait a bit!

 

[ashlierami]

Theyre only 4 days old! Thank you for mentioning age, i should probably wait a bit!

It's totally up to you. I gave mine along with the mama dried meal worms when they were about 4 or 5 days old. They were just fine but it's different for everyone. They would enjoy playing keep away with the meal worm. I would crush it alittle to make the pieces smaller. They also didn't have a hard time eating boiled eggs either.

 

[Talithahorse]

I usually start with fresh clover and strawberry tops. They are like watching a little league football game when you give them a strawberry top.

 

[redblack10]

Giving treats is a wonderful way to help chicks enjoy your company. I would recommend waiting a couple of weeks, so they get their fill of nutrients in their starter feed. You can put some crumbles in your palm to get them accustomed to hand feeding. In addition, there are "chick sticks" you can provide, but they are kind of firm for new babies' beaks. Tiny bits of dark greens, strawberry tops, and mealworms get them used to the taste of good things to forage for - especially if you will free range.

 

[Ridgerunner]

One of the first thing my broody hens do when she brings them off the nest and outside is take them somewhere they can peck at the ground. They eat bits of rock to get their gizzard ready for anything else they might eat. The first things are usually she takes them to the feed I have out and the water, but soon she takes them outside.

Once they have had grit they continue to eat the feed I have out, they eat plants or peck at the ground to get bits of this or that. If she catches a bug for them they will eat that. Basically she is feeding them what we call treats right from the start.

I'm not a broody hen. When I raise chicks in a brooder I'm feeding them very little other than chick feed. But I also put some dirt in the brooder so they can get grit in case they need it for a bug that wonders into the brooder or maybe they eat something that needs to be ground up. I don't go out of my way to feed treats to my chicks in the brooder, I don't see it as necessary. Since a broody hen does once they have had grit I don't see anything wrong with it as long as treats are a minor part of what they eat.

What can you give as treats? After they have grit, basically anything you eat or a grown chicken can eat, just make sure it is in small enough pieces they can swallow it.

 

[Blooie]

Yes. This. Mama Hen isn't out there examining everything they eat. They eat seeds, grasses and weeds, bugs, chicken poop....whatever they find, and the grit they needs comes right from the ground. She's not chopping, coring, or fussing about it. If she finds something yummy, they are right there eating whatever it is right along with her. Funniest thing I ever saw was my 3 week old chicks out in the yard discovering grasshoppers!!

I am a huge proponent of a clump of sod in the brooder, regardless of where they are being raised - inside or out.